Sverresborg (Bergen)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sverresborg
Bergen, Norway
Type	Medieval fortress
Built	Ca. 1184
Construction materials	Stone
In use	Ca.1184-today
Controlled by	Norway
Battles/wars	Civil war Battle of Vågen

Sverresborg is a fortress and former castle situated in the Norwegian city of Bergen. It was built by king Sverre Sigurdsson (ca. 1150–1202) in the mid 1180's, 250 meters northeast of Bergenhus fortress. It is thought that the fortress had an outer wall of stone and inner buildings of wood. A saga mentions that 600 men and 40 noble women lived in the fortress ca. 1207. The castle fell to the baglers and was destroyed, but was rebuilt by Håkon Jarl. The baglers destroyed it a second time and it has been rebuilt several times. Much of the present day fortifications are from the 17th century and the fortress participated in the Battle of Vågen. The last known expantions took place during the Napoleonic wars.

In the 1830's a park was laid out in the area and in 1911 a petty officers school was established for Bergen Brigade. During World War II the German occupants established two anti aircraft batteries in the fortress.

Seven German and one Norwegian war criminals were executed in Sverresborg in 1946.

The fortress has not fulfilled an operative capacity since World War II, but is still used by the military of Norway for office facilities. The area is today under the command of the commandant of Bergenhus and is a military area, but open to the public.

King Sverre Sigurdsson also had a Sverresborg built in Trondheim.